For All The "Steve's" Out There

"When you have time maybe you could help me understand how you deal with stupidity on a daily basis without getting pissed." -Steve

This is kind of a loaded question or statement Steve. I'll do my best to explain it but I will start by saying that first and foremost it required (of me) a complete shift in perspective and consciousness. It required (of me) a dedication and persistence to mental discipline that I had previously never undertaken before. I will do everything I can to help you understand how I deal with anger; at just about anything.

The first thing you should know is that I was formerly a focused, analytical thinker. I was about cold hard facts, science and rationality. There did not exist much place in my mind for anything besides logic, let alone the ignorance of those I encountered. Because of this I developed a bitterness and resentment towards people at large and as time went on, so did my anger. I became more quick to anger at the ignorance of others because I could not understand how such simple concepts could not be understood. It was a very dark time in my life that contributed in part to what you may have read in my Addictions series posts. 

There is an understanding you must come to; a conclusion you must reach before you can move beyond this train of thought. That answer is this: logic and reason do not possess all the answers nor can they ever. I had to abandon the notion that everything can be explained; everything has an answer and that most importantly, and this is crucial, that like all those "ignorant" people out there, I did not have all the answers, I would never have all the answers and to a great many other people out there, I was part of the ignorant people. The thought had never occurred to me, in my arrogance, that I was one of those people to someone else.

That discovery lead me down a path I abandoned too frivolously in the past; an exploration of the other half of me. The emotion, the spiritual, the creative, the imaginary, the oneness. Now don't go reading too far into that, I'm not dancing under the full moon naked, sacrificing a goat or anything of that nature. No. I have come to understand the futility of division. I need all those things as much as I do my analytic things to truly understand myself which in turn permits me to understand my environment and those found within it. This self-exploration, I think, is the answer to what you are seeking.

I tried very hard to control my emotions and this only made it worse. Not until I learned that I must embrace or channel them instead did I really learn to understand them at all. You see, when I actually realized how very little I actually did know in the grand scheme of things; when I compared myself to brilliant people of the past and present and fell so very short I realized one of the most important revelations necessary for human development: humility. I was humbled by my own quest for knowledge. I discovered empathy; true empathy when first humility really struck me. I immediately understood the ignorance of the people; some chosen, some forced, some oblivious.

All of these things, perhaps some that I have missed, have brought me to where I am today. Those realizations, epiphanies, revelations or whatever; they were all necessary for my own self-discovery. With the humility of understanding that not everyone has the strengths (or weaknesses) that I do; that every individual learns at a different level and in a different way; that every individual shares the same emotions I do (however varying the degree) and how those emotions affect me, affect them as well; the realization that the world and society in which we live has created an environment in which the reality of life is so hard to face that it is easier to ignore it and succumb to "spiritual" death; that, that is how I do it Steve.

How can I speak maliciously with intent to hurt you knowing how I would feel if it was done to me?

How can I strike you down knowing how it would feel to be struck?

How can I hate knowing what it feels to be hated?

How can I be angry knowing what it feels to be the cause or focus of anger?

How can I do anything bad to you, or others, in any way, in any fashion, at any time knowing how that would feel being done to me?

You see, I don't get angry any more. Anger has been replaced with other emotions because anger can serve no purpose other than to harm. Depending on the situation, depends on the emotion:

1) Pity - If the person(s) in question are so indoctrinated, so deep into their delusion that I know that nothing I can do will cause any change in them how can I be angry with that? They have been bred into delusion. I cannot be angry, only feel pity for them and hope someday they realize their errors. 

2) Joy - If the person(s) in question gets so angry because a realization has been made that challenges some fundamental belief or truth they thought they knew. How can I be angry when someone, who has been taught to fear change, is struggling with an ethical or fundamental truth? Their anger is the proper response for what they are going through internally; however, if you are the manifestation of that epiphany, you should also expect them to manifest their anger unto you. They don't know it's an internal fight; they believe it to be external and won't understand that until later.

3) Sorrow - This happens when people know the truth, are aware of the truth and yet choose to go on ignoring it nonetheless. When I say sorrow, it is not the same as pity. I'm talking my heart aches for them. Had I not exhausted (or at least for the time being) so many tears already in life, I would weep for some of them. I cannot be angry with someone like this, only deeply, deeply saddened.

4) Hope - This one is the most common and it is the big contributing factor to it all. Most of those ignorant people have absolutely no idea about their ignorance. For those reading this, please understand that the word ignorant hear is not necessarily meant to be an insult or a slight. Ignorant just means to be unaware; to not know. That is the primary sense in which I use it. There are a few times (and I'm sure you are able to discover them if you go back and try) where I used it in another meaning: to purposely be or pretend to be unaware. The second is hardest of the two to work your emotions through. But the first is thankfully the larger majority and that is why Hope is the big player. I know that this majority just lacks understanding and education. The more I share information, the more I contribute to the overall ability for them to learn (at their own pace) truth and fact. You cannot force things upon anyone at anytime and expect a positive outcome. Doesn't happen. With humility, empathy and self discovery you will understand this in yourself and then necessarily in others. Even this response cannot be enough alone to suddenly let you not be angry with people. But understand that people are learning; people are becoming aware; and people are waking up. They crave their past, social lives where they mixed and mingled with others; they long for the communities of past where a neighbor was a friend and not 'some person who lived next door'; they reminisce of days when all the things I wrote about were normal every day occurrences and people like me didn't need to write about how to be nice; we just were.

So Steve, that's how I do it. Five years of self-discovery and the most exciting and drastic has only really occurred in the last six to eight months. Don't be discouraged and don't lose hope. The people are smarter than you or I have given them credit for now or in the past. They are disassociated; they are segregated; they are divided; they are separated. All of the things you say that are going on that make you angry are; they're all true. That does not mean they are permanent. People used to be happier; they are starting to remember that. Like you, like me, they were caught up in the explosion of technology and human achievement. There were many mistakes made; and even more prior to that and we have lost touch with what matters in life. Right now, as I write this there is a change happening all around the world. Don't lose hope Steve, or anyone else for that matter. As Bob Dylan once wrote, The times they are a changin'; for the better. Smile.

Seven Ways to Improve Your Days

Good morning, it's Monday and if you're like many of the millions of people across the world, you probably did not want to get out of bed this morning. Monday seems to be this psychological day of the week that we dread more than any other. I am not certain as to why, though that it is the beginning of the work week most likely plays some large role in the matter.

Unlike those of you who dreaded getting out of bed this morning, I was looking forward to it. I was expecting a pay check to be deposited into my bank account through the night, as I slept. I was looking forward to rolling out of bed at my leisure (no work or school to go to) and going over to Tim Horton's to get a morning coffee. That was the plan but sometimes life doesn't concern itself with our plans; it has its own. So, this morning when I got up, you can bet my Monday Morning Madness went into overdrive when I discovered no money in my account (which incidently meant no coffee). Not cool.

I got mad. I cursed, I swore and I'm sure the people in my building thought someone must have robbed me the way I carried on for those few minutes. When I did settle down (about five minutes or so) I realized how absolutely silly and ridiculous getting that upset was. So I continued on with my day, managed to scrounge some pennies and get myself a coffee. Getting all this done, I realized that I was feeling in a much better mood and began to question it. Coffee alone was not responsible. As I was contemplating this, I passed a gentleman walking, smiled and said good day. His response was the same. Then it hit me. Little things. The little things are what matters.

With this in mind, I have devised seven ways in which to improve your days. Now bear in mind, these work for me and they should, by all rights, work for you. You'll also notice that not all of them have anything to do with being selfish (good or bad; just doing things for yourself) and that's important. One of the great acts of life is bringing joy to others so, let's get happy:

1) Smile - This is by far the easiest way to make any day better. Smiling is extremely contagious. Even when people are having some of their worse days, seeing a simple smile can quickly help to change their disposition into a much happier one. Sometimes, and if you're lucky you'll get a chance to do this, you can make the angriest person burst out into uncontrolled laughter with nothing more than a smile. Smiling is one very simple way to show you care; even to a complete stranger and sometimes that's all we need; to know someone cares.

2) Hold Open A Door - Seems like a pretty simple thing to do doesn't it? Yet so many of us neglect this simple act. Holding open a door might sound even a little too simple an action to change anything, but believe me, it does. It isn't always that someone needs you to hold open the door, in fact most cases they don't, but the action, the action is something they need. Again we have a very small, inconspicuous action that is liable to make the difference between a good or bad day for someone. Be the difference.

3) Gratitude - If you ever wanted to do something small that can have a huge impact, show some gratitude. I'm not talking about saying thanks to your parents for buying you that iPod; I'm not talking about thanking your boss for giving you that extra day off; no, none of that. Those should be automatic. I mean little acknowledgements of gratitude. Saying thanks to that person who held open the door (see what's happening here) or perhaps returning that smile someone flashed you (connecting dots yet?). Heck, it could be as simple as telling a friend how happy you are that you two are friends. Aim small, impact big.

4) Apologize - How often do we walk around with baggage full of resentment over not getting an apology? Many times in my life I carried this extra burden unnecessarily; I am certain you have as well. The worst is that the burden is the same no matter the presumed slight. Be mindful to apologize, even if you think it to be unnecessary. I have learned that I am not always aware of my mistakes and so no matter what the situation, if I think for even just the slightest of moments I have intentionally or unintentionally hurt you, I will offer you an apology for it. That is the thing, sometimes we're completely oblivious to our errors which makes it harder later on as those we hurt have had time to become bitter. Apologize when you can, even if it wasn't your fault. What I mean is if you see someone treating someone poorly but can't intervene, go over after and apologize, not for yourself, but just in general. You had nothing to do with the cause of the situation but you have the power to resolve it. Smile, apologize and talk (happening again...I know you might be confused, I'll explain afterwards).

5) Talk - You do this already? Do you? Do you talk to people or simply at them? Take the time to properly focus yourself when you're conversing with others. Look them in the eye, put down your phone, shut off your music, turn off the television; just do whatever it takes to give that person your complete attention. That small moment (or big depending on the situation) of giving your undivided attention can make someone feel like they are important; like they mean something; like they are valued (which is good because we all have value). Talk to them, not at them, and you will find that they will respond much more positively and leave feeling at the very least, slightly better.

6) Listen - Now this one I am certain that we are all guilty of ignoring (get it? not listening is ignoring? I know, silly to laugh at one's own jokes) from time to time. In a world that is always on the go, it's sometimes hard to really stop and listen to people. We hear them when the speak but we're not always listening (yes there is a difference philosophically though not necessarily by definition). Take the time to listen to people when they are talking (oh, there it is again) to you. They have gone out of their way, either by choice or by necessity, to talk to you, offer them the same respect by listening. When you listen, you make people feel as though what they have to say matters and most likely it does; even if it doesn't to you.

7) Love - Of all the ways to improving your days, this is the most crucial, the most important, the most needed and the most likely to improve even the most terrible of days. Love. It can be any kind of love: romantic love, fraternal love, paternal love, maternal love, friendship love, love of humanity, love of art, love of whatever you can think of; just so long as it is pure and honest love. Like The Beatles said, "Love IS all you need." They weren't lying; they just figured it out sooner than the rest of us. Letting others know you love them is the fastest, surest way to help improve your day. Love is universal; love is eternal; love is hope; love is all you need.

Now I'll explain the little comments. It will be easy to see what my little sadistic joy was when you go back over it now. Did you notice that at the start, the list seemed to be about making other people's days better? It sure seemed that way to me but if you'll look at all my little (comments) you'll notice they come during an explanation of one method to improving your day while using a prior one to explain how it will. You see by doing nice things for others, others will do nice things for you. It's reciprocal. Ever heard that saying: What goes around, comes around? Well it works just as well, or better, with good as it does with bad. If you hold a door open for someone, you just helped improve their day; when they smile back and thank you, they have just helped improve your day. By helping others, you help yourself; by helping yourself (to kindness), you help others.

This is a rather abbreviated list of ways that I use to improve my days. There are so many little and big things that you can do to improve your days; also those of others (again; reciprocal). Some others that are equally important, though not here but deserve mentioning are: laughing, hugging, sharing and complimenting. These all go a very long way to improving the quality of your day.

You see folks, they say that bad moods spread like the plague; and they're right. Almost nothing spreads faster than someone's bad mood in a group environment. I am certain it has happened to you; it has happened to me many times before. That one person whose disposition is so terrible that everyone soon becomes as bitter as they. Well I have some very important information you may have been oblivious to up until now. I encourage you to share this information with as many people as possible; it could mean the difference between life or death (for some). What information?

Stand Out In The Crowd

The only thing that spreads faster than a bad mood is a good mood. Happiness spreads, not like a disease but like the rays of the sun: over everything and everyone.

Politics: The Party System

Good morning my friends around the world. No matter where it is you call home, no doubt you have some complaints about the way your government is run; the way it is elected; and an overall discontent for how they run your country. Now of course, there are some of you who believe in the system; who believe in your representatives or leaders; who believe in their government. I am not here to criticize you. No, I am here to talk a little about the Canadian political party system.

Let me start off by explaining a little bit about how the party system works here in Canada. For starters we do not directly vote for our Prime Minister (head of state); we vote for his or her party. For example, if John Doe is a Liberal candidate who is running for PM and I would like to see him in that position then I must vote for the Liberal candidate running in my riding. Do you see the flaw here? In order to not have a paragraph that runs on for an eternity, we're going to break up the explanation and the flaw inside of it.

What is the flaw? Well, bear with me, let's look at it this way. Please understand this is an explanation and not a statement or insinuation of which party I may or may not support. For the record: none of them; I support people, not parties. Moving on. Jane Doe is a brilliant leader and a Conservative. John Doe has a history of corruption and is a Liberal. The Liberal representative in your riding will do much to improve your community. The Conservative representative has little concern for the needs of your community. Who do you vote for? Vote Conservative, get a great leader but a representative who does nothing for you? Or do you vote Liberal, get a corrupt leader but have a representative that will work hard for you? Let's make it more interesting: what if the only competent representative in your riding is running under the front of the Green Party? Or how about the NDP? As neither party has ever had a minority or majority government (federally) here in Canada? You'd have no chance.

That is only one problem I have with the Party System. It very seriously limits your choices and puts you in a position to choose between the lesser of two evils. When it comes to evil, there are no degrees; small or large, it is still evil. On top of that you have the problem of a Party itself. What is that problem? It creates an environment where running candidates no longer have to think for themselves. When you join any one of the political parties you no longer have to think for yourself. You can hide behind the beliefs, ideologies and platforms of the party. You are no longer required to have an opinion; it is provided for you. You don't need to know the plan; it has already been designed for you. You never have to think again; someone has already done that for you and published it into a nice little pamphlet. In all honesty, do we really have any idea about what our candidates really believe? What they really think? What they really know? We don't.

What is the solution? Try not to get yourself too worked up here my Canadian friends (or my International friends), I have given this much thought. The solution is to adopt more of the American political system. Now before you go clicking the close browser window button, hear me out. What I am speaking of specifically is how they vote for candidates. In Canada, if the NDP won a majority election, an NDP must be the head of state. In the USA, if the Republicans win a majority, a Democrat can still be President. You see the difference? They still maintain the party system to identify the ideologies of the candidates but the people get to vote for the actual candidate and not necessarily a party. This system, however, is still flawed to me because it is still founded on the principle of a party system. And, as you may have guessed, I am opposed to the party system.

The real solution is to eliminate the party system. Make all people who wish to run as candidates to become government representatives do so as independents. Let them share their ideas; their beliefs; their plans and not the general ones of an organization. Let a person tell the people what their vision is; not a pamphlet or ad campaign. If you force people to think for themselves and take away the party ideology to hide behind, you create a system where only the honest and trustworthy will be able to find themselves elected to office. After all, if you aren't able to think for yourself and convince yourself; who will you convince?

A political system based on the party ideology is very dangerous. Why? Because you are segregating the people. You are forcing a wedge between them; forcing to pick the right, the left or something else in between. Collective's are essential, however, running a collective by a collective is a very dangerous situation. You risk the smaller one allowing it's own personal beliefs to creep in and overtake that of the larger collective. With an independent run government, there are no parties to let this happen. There are only people and an individual can not corrupt the entire government and country through their beliefs; there are too many other individuals to keep them in check. This is one of the importances of the individual within the collective. The individual is always the one who questions the collective.

As Canadian politics evolve, party ideas begin to become more and more similar to one another. They, of course, have their few major differences of opinions, however the core ideologies seem to be coming closer and closer together. When the time comes when one party's platform is no different than the next, that will be when the right to vote will mean nothing as all those smaller, party collectives will have become one (maybe not outwardly, but in secret) and which party is in charge will be of no consequence (kind of like the USA). They'll be working together regardless of the symbol they hide behind.

I live in a free country they tell me. I have choices they tell me. I am privileged to have a voice, a vote they tell me. Tell me then, where is my vote when I have no options? Where are my choices when political parties ideologies become closer and closer together? How am I free when I am chained to a fraudulent system that hides behind images and ideas? You may think you have choice; you do not, or at least very few remaining. For now there is enough in the way of political ideological differences that opposition parties still fight against the tyranny of the current Harper government; how long it lasts is anyone's guess. 

Wake up Canada! You have been fooled into believing this system works; you have been tricked into believing you had a choice; you have been misled to believe your vote counts; these are all lies. How can the system work when it is based on someone else's ideas other than the person running it? How can you have a choice when your options are fictional entities comprised of men and women who no longer have to think for themselves? How can you have a vote, a voice, if you have no choice? It is time that we the people stop and take a real, long look at how, why and who WE are permitting to dictate how OUR towns, provinces, country and world are run? Canada, the planet itself, belongs one to us all. Let us decide to KNOW those who would make decisions on its future, our future and that of future generations.

Play Date With A Purpose

Good afternoon my friends. As you may have noticed, recently my daily posts have been sporadic in their delivery. Some have been early morning; others afternoon; and still on one occasion I even made the mistake of mixing up days (thought it was Saturday all day Friday). I do apologize for the irregular posting times, I have just been quite occupied (not a pun) as of lately with an event that I have been helping to organize, Play Date With A Purpose.

You see, as you may or may not know at this stage of your involvement with my blog, I am a Public Relations student. As part of my curriculum there is a module on event planning. To obtain credits we, as a class, are organizing this event for one of the instructors at our school. Her name is Angela Galipeau and she was diagnosed with Tumefactive Multiple Sclerosis in 2010. The event is for her and her team, Team Gracie's Mum, in the upcoming MS Walk in May. Now that you have a general idea of what the event is, we can continue to the meat and bones.

So moving forward. When our instructor presented us with this event a few months ago, it seemed like a simple enough event to plan. This was meant to be approached like we would in our professional career. Again, it didn't seem like it would be a difficult event to put together. It has been. It has been hectic; it has been time consuming; it has been stressful; it has been emotional; but most of all, it has been worth it. No, I realize the event has not happened yet but up until this point I feel as though all that I have taken on and been able to do has been more than worth it. 

When we were given this assignment project event responsibility, I must admit that I knew very little about Angela and even less about MS. I took the time to read Angela's blog which she has written to chronicle her amazing journey of strength. I took a little more time and I floated over to the MS Society of Canada website to learn a little more about MS. I found out some pretty interesting stuff. One was that MS affects more women than men at a ratio of 2:1. Twice as many women are battling MS than men. That got me to wanting to know more about MS (though I still haven't made it to finding out why it is more predominant in women) and so I read. And I read some more. And still some more.

When I returned to Angela's story, I had a completely new perspective on it. It touched me a in a completely different way than it had the first time around. As time quickly slipped by, March arrived and it was time to really get to work on the event. Angela began to attend our classes for meetings to keep updated on how we were proceeding and to review ideas and other such things as is required when one is planning and organizing event for someone else. It is their event so you need them to sign off on everything. As I got to know Angela more, I became more and more aware just what kind of individual you actually have to be to fight this kind of battle.

I must admit one more thing: this started out as just something I had to do. Some time ago that sentiment changed. Spending time working on this event, trying to get it off the ground, educating myself on MS and getting to know Angela better changed me and how I viewed this entire project. It became more than just a class assignment. It became something for which I now wanted to share about; spread awareness about; it became, in some sense, a minor passion. I am always passionate about those things that I can empathize closely with; and after all this, I can empathize, to the best of my abilities and limitations, with those who, every day, contend with this debilitating disease.

I mention those and when I say those, I specifically mean all those who are affected by MS; not just those diagnosed. This is something that Angela has really taught me. When someone is diagnosed with MS, there are more people than just them fighting through the struggle; there is family. It's easy to miss the pain and suffering that loved ones endure for their family member. That's what Angela wanted when she decided that she wanted to hold this event. An event for families; a fundraiser that would focus not solely on the individual, but on all those affected by it. Families supporting families as she put it.

The entire process was a little rough. Though this was a class/group project, I feel I poured a lot more of myself into this than some. I'm not complaining; not pointing fingers; not even mad. Nobody did more or less than I had expected them to do really. Everyone did what I expected of them. There were no surprises; just work. It would not have mattered if I had done it entirely myself (I did not, a size-able share mind you) I would still be as happy about it as I am now.

I am happy because of what this means to Angela. To have come to understand just what it is she faces or could face; to have learned first hand how deeply an impact MS is to an individual but also their family; to know that so many people and their families have to be so strong and so courageous makes any complaint I might have had seem mute. I'm not sure if this will reach Angela or not; nor does it matter. She seemed very anxious, and understandably so, and concerned about the amount of time, effort and resources I was putting into this. I reassured her and I hope she knows that I would have worked ten times harder; taken on ten times the responsibility; sacrificed ten times the sleep; endured ten times the frustration; just to make sure she had a spectacular event day. She has earned it; more-so than I can express for her.

So I am now personally vested into this event. No grade I can receive will equal the worth of experience and knowledge I have taken away from planning and organizing this event; and I don't mean the work experience or event planning experience. I would have gotten that either way. No, I got a lot more than I expected when first this came across my plate. Much more. I may have even discovered the niche or area of expertise I wish to pursue (or some general idea): not-for-profits, charities and non-profits (yes they are all different); something to do with helping people; helping spread awareness; educating and supporting those who need a voice and don't always have one. And as I approach the end of today's blog entry I can only hope you'll take the time to read up about Angela and her story; gain some knowledge about MS and how it truly affects those who are diagnosed and their families; and hopefully encourage you to show support in any way that is available to you. 

Some helpful links:

The MS Society of Canada Website: http://mssociety.ca/en/

The MS Walk Canadian Webpage Directory: http://mssociety.ca/mswalk/

You can also help by sharing today's blog post with others. Encourage people you know to learn a little. You never know how or when MS could enter your life. 

One last thing before I go (kind of a pitch, but come on now, I am a PR guy; but really, this event is so much more than just a project or assignment to me now). If you've read today's entry and feel like you want to participate in the Play Date or support in some way but you don't live nearby or you are unable to attend for other reasons, you can help out in all or any one of these ways. The smallest amount of support can make the biggest difference sometimes' from donations to words of encouragement; it all matters.

Follow Team Gracie's Mum on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/TeamGraciesMum

Donate to Team Gracie's Mum: http://mssoc.convio.net/site/TR/MSWalk/AtlanticDivision?team_id=1820&pg=team&fr_id=1211

Share this blog post: http://thibeautime.blogspot.ca/2012/04/play-date-with-purpose.html

Even just visiting the event page with words of encouragement is a great form of support as well: https://www.facebook.com/events/174288542677580/

Comedians: Last of the Philosophers

When we think about the word Philosopher and what a philosopher is there are certain names that are quick to pop to mind. Names such as Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates to name but a few. We generally create this idea in our minds of some old man in a white robe, sporting a long grey beard sitting around thinking. Obviously we no longer have that type of philosopher in our world. Most of our philosophy is taught in Universities and other institutions and much of it is still that which was taught thousands of years ago.

We all philosophize in some degree or another. Much of the time when you are doing this, you may be completely unaware that you are doing it. The thing about philosophy is that you don't need to be Aristotle or Plato to be a philosopher. We are all, each one of us, a philosopher. We develop ideas and beliefs based on knowledge, experience and observation (sounds like science doesn't it?). That is philosophy, in its basic form. I just want to touch on the comment I made about science. I think it is very relevant to mention that the scientific method of discovery is not that different from how you philosophize. Both are journey's to discovery; both require critical thought; both require observation; both entail variables, both controlled and uncontrolled; both begin with an idea. Philosophy and Science are, in my own opinion, two parts to a single whole; they are interdependent of one another.

Moving forward to the core of my post. Comedians. Now you may be wondering how it is I have come to associate comedy with an area of knowledge that is dependent on critical, deep and reflective thought. Philosophy isn't a joke you might be thinking and you're right. So what is the connection between Comedians and Philosophers then? Comedians, not all but many, are the last, true Philosophers because they are the only ones who can openly question and analyze anything and everything without boundary. Nothing is off limits so long as the philosopher is wise enough to present it in the right manner.

You see, there are a number of mediums in which a philosopher can express their ideas to the masses. The music industry is a real good example of this. The problem with the music industry is that it is controlled; it is censored; it is limited. You have limitations on your creativeness no matter how independent you are. Then you also run into the problem of demographics. If you are in the music industry then you most likely are part of a specific and particular type of genre (rock, rap, country, etc.) and because of that, your reach is also limited. You are not being heard by everyone. 

Another great medium is publishing. What better way to reach people than to write about it? But again here you are limited. Your type of writing will be pigeon-holed into a genre which will immediately limit the number of people you will be able to reach. As influential as books or writings may be, there will always be a large minority or majority who remain untouched by your message. 

The film industry is another medium however the entire process of creation from beginning (script writing) to the end (final editing) takes a large amount of investment both financially and with time. Although films can have an extremely powerful effect on us and drive us to action, they are also limited to audience. Some films do reach a much more significant amount of people than others; I am not trying to discount any of these mediums, only use their shortcomings to contrast against my point; which I am now coming to.

Comedians are exempt from all of this. Their audience is truly limitless because they are offering something that all people share in common: the joy of laughter. A love song appeals to the emotional population; a book of science-fiction appeals to a different part of the population (though that is not to say that there aren't some from both but that they are two different messages or philosophies from two different sources); and the same goes for an action film. It only appeals to a certain type of person. Laughter appeals to us all.

Censorship. Comedians are censored when albums are released but live they are uncensored (and yes musicians are too but swearing is not philosophy) and free to discuss what they choose. And the good ones make us laugh by using ideas and thoughts that are actually very serious. This is where the philosophy comes into play.

George Carlin 1937-2008

The best example I can give, well my favorite, for what I mean is George Carlin. This is a philosopher who made his career off of telling people how bad society was. Pointing out its failures, its shortcomings and warning of the inevitable consequences to come as a result. He questioned religion on the grandest scale I have seen by a comedian in a manner that did not disrespect, but made you think (and laugh of course). He brought together and identified the common things we all share together, as human beings. George Carlin showed us our worst, let us in on our sameness and all the while made us laugh.

You don't need to listen to Carlin to understand how comedians are truly the last philosophers because they are still free to do so. They are not constrained by the normal boundaries of social acceptance because their ideas and philosophies are clouded in laughter. Slowly, it is these comedians who are planting seeds of thought into the minds of their audience. For comfort, I have yet to encounter a bad philosopher; only bad comedians. Another comedian that you might consider is Chris Rock. I would suggest that you listen to some of his older stand up. His earlier stuff was undeveloped and angry. He has since become one of the more interesting philosophers around; although it has been a few years.

You see, we are controlled by what we are permitted to discuss or even to say. Every day, many times a day, I am sure that like me, you have to stop and catch yourself from saying something inappropriate or something that may be misconstrued as such; comedians do not have this limitation so long as they are wise enough to understand how to turn true philosophy into something the general masses can understand while seeing it as a joke. Comedians are the last line of real truth available to the people. You can't trust the media; you can't trust the government; you can't trust celebrities. Who can you trust?

Comedians: the last of the Philosophers; they just want to make you laugh.

Individual vs Collective

Some time ago I began a writing. It started out as an essay about dualism. It has since grown into much more than that. In fact, it is well on its way to becoming a small book. For some reason novel does not seem appropriate. I typically associate the word novel with a work of fiction; of course when it comes to the human psyche, who is to determine what is real and what is not? That's straying off a little so back on track we go. I have re-worked what I have written three times and with each proof, something new is added, something taken away. I think you know how the creative process works; it is the same anywhere the imagination is used. Today's post is one chapter from this book. I would definitely love to hear some critiques; positive or negative. Enjoy.

Individual vs Collective

“Dualism is the act of standing in front of a mirror and claiming that there are two of you.”

One of the greatest dualities we face as both individuals and as a society is that of the importance of the individual versus the collective. This monumental duality is quite possibly the largest contributor to our rapidly increasing apathy; the individual ideal is winning. Stating that, I think perhaps I have already come across as bias as most likely you are reading this from a capitalist society and the idea of individuality being bad probably invokes feeling of distrust for my words but I urge you to continue. You shall find, as I have come to that the statement, despite its boldness, is true. Let us begin by talking about the individual and the importance of individuality.

In a world we co-habit with over seven billion other people it is sometimes difficult to feel unique and there is a particular need for each one of us to express that uniqueness about ourselves. That is called individuality. That ‘something’ that helps you to stand out from the crowd; that helps you to succeed; that makes you, you.  We all desire to feel special and that is a basic human need. In pursuit of that need we strive to discover ourselves and find our ‘something’ that makes us an individual.

Individuality is so very crucial to the mental and emotional development of a human being. When someone discovers their true individuality, more than just the discovery of individuality is changing. The entire psyche must change. Recognition of one’s true individuality increases self-confidence and ability. These two necessarily complement each other as self-confidence increases ability which increases success which increases self-confidence and so on and so forth. Insofar as I would ever dare to theorize, there is no end to this process; thus no end to the possibilities except that of the individual’s own creativity.

As the individual grows in ability, so does his mind in creativity. With creativity comes ingenuity which one might call the mother of invention. The possibility for the human potential is boundless when human beings discover their true individuality; their true uniqueness; their true abilities; and are left to pursue them. This is the importance of Individuality. Now, let us talk of the importance of the Collective for truly I will be hard pressed to prove that anything be valued above the individual.

The original collective, the foundation for society, is the family; more specific to North America it is the patriarchal family. It is a very comforting thought to know that the idea of the original family unit is presently changed. No longer is the ‘family’ considered to be the traditional male head figure, then female servant and child squires. No, today the family collective is bordering on the edge of equality of all; children and adults. And it is no longer just male and female bonds being openly accepted, though a fight still to go, it is man and man, woman and woman creating a new idea of a family collective. 

As I believe that any collective is a direct reflection of the individual consciousness’s of the people within that collective, society has developed into a patriarchal structure as well. Unfortunately, society does not adapt as easily as the smaller collective units and in the rule of majority, it is the will of the majority that rules. The numbers continue to grow and one day you will see this reflection of equality within society. However, only the importance of the family unit has been shown here and there is so much more to say.

There are several very important reasons why the collective is essential to human growth. Let us start with survival, our most primal of instincts. Individually, people may be able to exist for quite some time without too much difficulty. However, this will not be true of most and never will it be true for the entirety of any individual’s life. Being party to a collective ensures the survival of each individual who openly participates in the collective. A benefit of this insurance is that each individual is now relieved of that burden of survival and left with more time.

When the individual is left to pursue its own interests at its own leisure, this is when true invention occurs; invention being any creative, scientific, mechanical or technological discoveries or ideas. These will in turn be able to be shared amongst those inside the collective. This is the second great importance of the collective. The sharing of information births an entirely new form of creativity. The collective, able to freely access all, can, as individuals, improve and add to any idea or creation. This opens up an even greater doorway to personal development.

A third great importance of the collective is that of satisfying the basic needs of the individual. Human beings are social creatures. They naturally possess the tools to work and live alongside one another peacefully. They have the innate skill to empathize with one another. The collective fulfills these built in human needs. They are not the only ones. The need for reproduction is also built in to all living creatures and as stated, the original and smallest collective is that of the family. Human beings require each other to at least some degree.

The importance of the collective is very clear. It is as essential to human development as individuality. This poses the question as to why society pushes so hard upon on the idea of irrational self-interest. Our egos are constantly being inflated through advertising and marketing campaigns aimed at one of our most vulnerable needs: individuality. As the idea is imprinted into our minds and bred into our culture, our empathy is inversely turned into apathy. Apathy is the poison of a collective. There are times when the importance of the collective is sold to us as equally important however. Sadly these are during times of strife and war; times when the state turns the collective into an individual through nationalism and patriotism to fight against another collective individual most commonly called a ‘terrorist’ in this day.

It is suffice to say that this duality has also infected political and economic systems that create entire societies. Capitalism and Communism are the fore-runners to this duality. The capitalist, while under the guise of democracy, stressing the importance of the individual and self-achievement and the communist who demands the sacrifice of the individual to the collective. Neither can be said to be successful. It can be disputed that capitalism advanced countries more quickly than communism did but I am certain that that is at least questionable.

What is the solution to this perplexing duality? How is it decided which is the most important? It isn’t. There is no decision to make as like in all the other examples, there is no duality between the individual and the collective; they are a singularity; two parts to one hole. They are of equal importance when speaking in terms of the development of a sustainable, peaceful and harmonious society. If the reflections of individual consciousness’s within a collective are society than in order to attain the mentioned form of society, humans must first fulfill their basic needs. These needs, as stated, include specific things that come only through individual self-discovery AND through a collective society of some form.

A collective or society must be devised in such a way as to allow each one their individuality while at the same time maintaining a growing, developing and harmonious collective that benefits each individual enough in some way that they remain a part of it. This is not as difficult a task as one might imagine. By understanding and embracing the singularities of human development as singularities and not dualities, human beings change and necessarily so must their society. It is plain to see that the importance of the individual must be valued equally to that of the importance of the collective and not higher, nor lower.

As I stated at the beginning, the individual is winning and as I hope you can now see that so long as one is winning then the other must necessarily be failing. This in turns means that depending on your geo-political location, if you are an adult you are quite possibly poorly undeveloped beyond your true potential as a human being; we all are. It is only the very few that I have met that have understood the dangers of dualities and their non-existence.

Saturday Suggestion: New Blog Series?

Good day once again my friends, followers, occasional readers and of course, you, my first time visitor. Recently I have been receiving comments and feedback from many of you. I am glad to know that so many of you have found my blog interesting enough to become engaged with me. This small post is about a growing trend in your comments.

At the request of my readers I will be taking your ideas and suggestions for a new weekly blog post. This series will be called Saturday Suggestion: <Topic>. The topics for each weekly post will come from you. As such, this entire series will rely on your feedback and your suggestions. Is there something I've written about that  you want me to clarify? Is there a topic or subject you'd like to see me go more in depth about? Is there something about me you'd like to know more about? Is there something that is important to you that you'd like me to write about? Anything you can think of, I will take into consideration.

There are all kinds of ways you can submit your ideas.

1. You can send me a Direct Message on Twitter or simply Tweet it publicly. My twitter handle is @Tekebo.
2. You can send me a Private Message on Facebook or post a message to my Wall. If you are not on my Facebook and would like to be, you can friend me here.
3. You can leave me your thoughts in the comments section here or on any one of my blog posts.
4. You can email me your thoughts and ideas to j_tekebo@yahoo.ca

I look forward to hearing from you and also to the topics, suggestions and ideas you'll bring to the table. Again, this blog series is completely dependent on the participation of you, the reader. This is an opportunity to have your voice heard; have your questions answered; or gain a new perspective and insight into something you already have knowledge or interest of. Thanks for reading and have yourself a remarkable day.

5 Books You Should Read

It is another day, and another week. Welcome back to ThibeauTime. This Monday's post is going to be a small list of books that I would highly suggest you take an opportunity to read. Merely a suggestion; advice implies you should do it. I am simply pointing out several examples of great literary works, why I enjoyed them and why I think you will too. I hope that the day has found you all content and at peace. I'm also curious to hear any suggestions you might have for me as reading material. Please feel free to leave some reading ideas in the comments section. So, without further adieu, in no particular order here are five books I think you should take the time to read:

1. The Alchemist by Paul Coelho - This is one the greatest books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. It was recommended to me by a friend from San Francisco some years ago. When I finally got around to it I was a little skeptical; it was short. I was mistaken; not about being short but about judging it. This story follows a young boy who follows the visions of a dream he has. It leads him on an amazing journey which he will not soon forget. What I enjoyed most about this book was the end: it was quite possibly one of the best endings to a story I've ever read. Needless to say everyone in the library was staring at me after I had finished the book. Trust me on this one, it is worth the read.

2. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand - This novel is not for the faint of heart. As far as novels go it is one of the most advanced in terms of language and by far the longest in terms of page numbers that I have ever read. I have read it several times and each time I am required to research or look up something to understand it. I also learn something new from it each time but like I said, if you are looking for a challenging novel to read, this is it. It is a socio-economical-political novel with no exact time setting. It is the story of a mysterious John Galt and the disintegration of society into darkness. I warn you that if you are a staunch Socialist or Communist or anything besides open-minded or a Capitalist you may have a hard time enjoying this novel. Personally I find the book is less about this system or that system but rather is a creation of an entirely different system. Regardless, all I can tell you is that every time I read this book it completely changes my outlook on life. This book changed my life.

3. The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams - If you enjoy nonsensical comedy than this book is for you. A science fiction comedy, it has brought more smiles to my face over then years than I could possibly recount. You may remember that they made this into a movie and although I feel they did a good job on it, it is nothing like reading the book. Adams was a very gifted writer with a very distinct and peculiar sense of humor. This novel follows a young British man after he wakes up one morning where he and the rest of the world discover that the Earth is being demolished to build an inter-stellar highway off-ramp. That is just the beginning of the silliness. If you are looking for a book that will keep you smiling and make you laugh while at the same time keep you engaged, look no further and of course: Don't Panic (you'll get that if you read the book).

4. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - This novel took me a long time to read. I had learned about it in English class in High School and though it always peaked my interest, I never got around to reading it for many years. When I finally did, I was not disappointed. The story is based in the not-so-distant future where Firefighter's no longer fight fires, they start them. Books are illegal in this sci-fi future and the Firefighter's are the one's responsible for burning them once someone is discovered with an illegal stockpile. It is an interesting and unique perspective of the eventual results of total censorship; especially when one considers the current events going on today. You should really pick this one up; short, sweet and to the point. Do not watch the movie; I have yet to see it but I have heard many terrible things. Stick with the book; at least I know for sure you're certain to enjoy.

5. 1984 by George Orwell - I am sure to some of you that this particular choice is of no surprise to you considering my recent anti-government actions with the Occupy Nova Scotia movement. Heck, it may be that novels like this influenced me to question my government and not let them just get away with criminal activities. Regardless, if you have been unfortunate enough to not have read this great, short novel by one of 20th century's greatest authors, go out and do it now. You will not be sorry. Another futuristic novel where the government has enforced complete censorship and control of the population through fear and manipulation (not very much unlike the war on terror and other such manipulations and propaganda going on around the world). They have even pilfered the language of the people into something they call doublespeak. I can explain that without you ever having read the book. This language of doublespeak is almost like the sort of conversation you have on your cell phone when you text. Illegible, unintelligible, incomprehensible ramblings of abbreviations and semi-words. Language to dumb down the people because an uneducated population is easier to control. Trust me when I say you should read this; it is more important now than the paranoid nuclear period in which it was written.

Of course there are just an endless amount of fantastic pieces of literature out there. I've only mentioned five here today and those were also works of fiction. I could write a seemingly endless blog post on all the great novels or writings I have read that I think would positively influence you in some way. However, there are other days coming and other blog posts to write. This will not be the last time I offer you suggestion on reading material I have come across over my life that has influenced me in some way. I hope you have the best day you can with what you have and remember: Don't Panic.

Sunday Afternoon Poetry #16

Good afternoon, I'm delighted you could join me again for Sunday Afternoon Poetry. Today I've got a little something extra for you. I'm going to provide you with some poetic terms and examples. The best part? This particular poem contains so many of them. It's like a one stop shop for an education in poetry and it wouldn't hurt your vocabulary either if you're unfamiliar with these terms or have forgotten them since you last learned them.

Today's poem is also dedicated to my grade nine English teacher, Andy Smith. I would never have developed the interest in poetry I have had it not been for his influence. Thank you.

Out, Out--

The buzz-saw snarled and rattled in the yard
And made dust and dropped stove-length sticks of wood,
Sweet-scented stuff when the breeze drew across it.
And from there those that lifted eyes could count
Five mountain ranges one behind the other
Under the sunset far into Vermont.
And the saw snarled and rattled, snarled and rattled,
As it ran light, or had to bear a load.
And nothing happened: day was all but done.
Call it a day, I wish they might have said
To please the boy by giving him the half hour
That a boy counts so much when saved from work.
His sister stood beside them in her apron
To tell them "Supper." At the word, the saw,
As if to prove saws knew what supper meant,
Leaped out at the boy's hand, or seemed to leap-
He must have given the hand. However it was,
Neither refused the meeting. But the hand!
The boy's first outcry was a rueful laugh,
As he swung toward them holding up the hand
Half in appeal, but half as if to keep
The life from spilling. Then the boy saw all-
Since he was old enough to know, big boy
Doing a man's work, though a child at heart-
He saw all spoiled. "Don't let him cut my hand off-
The doctor, when he comes. Don't let him, sister!"
So. But the hand was gone already.
The doctor put him in the dark of ether.
He lay and puffed his lips out with his breath.
And then--the watcher at his pulse took fright.
No one believed. They listened at his heart.
Little--less--nothing!--and that ended it.
No more to build on there. And they, since they
Were not the one dead,turned to their affairs.



by Robert Frost


Next

So this poem is great, as I said, as it uses so many different forms of poetic language. Let's get down to business. For reference sake's, all definitions will come from Merriam-Webster. Links will be provided.

Allusion - an implied or indirect reference especially in literature; also :the use of such references. The very first example comes before the poem begins; the title "Out, Out--" is an allusion to Lady MacBeth from the Shakespearean play MacBeth.

Onomatopoeia - the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it. In the first line of he poem we encounter this one: the buzz-saw snarled and rattled. Don't ask me how to remember to spell it because I can never do it.

Alliteration - the repetition of usually initial consonant sounds in two or more neighboring words or syllables. Barely into the poem in line number three we find the example of this piece of poetic device: Sweet-scented stuff. See how easy it is to understand poetic devices? Piece of cake.

Personification - attribution of personal qualities; especially: representation of a thing or abstraction as a person or by the human form. This one here is one we all do on a daily basis; well most of us. Anytime you assign an object a gender or describe it with some sort of human quality, you have personified that object (this happens a lot with men and cars). The example is quite obvious in this poem: At the word, the saw, As if to prove that saws knew what suppper meant, Leaped out at the boy's hand.

Metaphor - a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeness or analogy between them. This one isn't as obvious as I would like as an example but it will get the point across. Instead of saying that the boy has died, Frost instead tells us without saying it by this: Little-less-nothing!-and that ended it. Again, it is a little weak but the gist of it is there.

Simile - a figure of speech comparing two unlike things that is often introduced by like or as. This one is easy to identify because of those two special little words. Here is one you might have missed if you read quickly: half as if to keep The life from spilling.

Of course there are many more types and uses of poetic language and devices. I hope you've learned a little something about poetry today and I hope you enjoyed this simple little poem by one of my all time favorite poets.

What I Love Most About Me: You

I was out to orientation at my new part time job today. I'm going to be working at the same call center as my comrade The Critical Stranger. Don't worry, it's not sales. I've had my fill of that for the time being. Regardless, the point I want to make is that I was out. The orientation was actually entertaining and I learned a little about conversation. I also met three new people; well two, kind of. 

There were four of us: two women, two men. The thing is is that I had actually met the other man. His name is Roman and I actually met him while I was encamped at Grand Parade and then again at Victoria Park with Occupy Nova Scotia. What an interesting coincidence; but it is relevant. So in that sense, I only met two new people today. I love meeting new people and learning about them. Life is such an amazing experience and you can't experience it all so listening to the experiences of others grants you that; in a sense. Oh, did I mention that one of the men who lives in my building also works at this call center and he was there today? Relevant.

After I left orientation I left on a mission to get some new sneakers. After a 12km walk yesterday it became quickly apparent that I needed new ones. During this excursion to find new footwear I ran into another six people I know. Most were from my time with Occupy Nova Scotia but a few were from other networks and connections in my life. Running into all these people extended the length of my journey by almost an hour. You can't just walk by and not talk to friends. In a world that is quickly becoming more and more disconnected from itself, social interaction is imperative.

When I finally got home I ran into three more people who live in my building before I made it to my room. One of them was going into his room at the end of the hall and waited with his door slightly ajar just to say hello to me. I made it into my room and then I did what I always do when I get in from being out: I check out my social networks.

Myself & Ryan McKenna (@wolfisinhali)

Fourteen new updates and comments related to my posts were waiting for me when I logged into Facebook. It took about 20 minutes to go through them all and add replies and comments where appropriate and necessary. Then onto Twitter to find three new followers; two of which I was not following already. Unless you're a porn or spam bot I am going to extend the courtesy to return the follow; you have found something of value in me and I am sure to find something of equal value in you. Onto my email which notified me I had some Paper.Li news updates (this is a really cool website if you use Twitter; check it out) from my good friends @novascotiarasta and @wolfishinhali which had great content as always. Then of course there is my daily update of the WisemanTimes from my favorite video blogger and good friend James Wiseman. All and all there was a lot to catch up on.

So what does this have to do with being me? Or rather the thing I love about being me? People are happy to know me and this means that I am doing something right with myself. Roman, when we realized we had met, broke a smile and we chatted. The gentleman from my building (I apologize I cannot recall how to properly pronounce his name, though I try) got a good chuckle when I ran into him. All those people that I stopped to talk to; they were all smiling and calling me over to chat. Some I ran into twice. Those Facebook feeds? More friends with happy and positive things. Even the people I debate with, sometimes quite heatedly, take time to contact me to make sure I know they mean no offense. In the words of the great Sally Field: "You like me, you really like me!"

That is the one thing I love most about being me: that other people love me being me. That I am somebody that people want to know; that people enjoy knowing. That I am somebody that brings joy and love to the lives of others. I am somebody people trust; that people seek out for knowledge or answers; that people ask for an opinion from. That I am somebody. And being somebody, the success of my life can never be measured by wealth, by power, by position. This is the success of my life. I could not have done it without every single one of you who have crossed my path. You have done more to shape the person I am than I could have ever accomplished on my own. I am a product of the experiences of my existence; you are now part of that experience. If I am worth knowing it is because you have made me worth knowing. I can only hope that I have done the same for you.

Philosophy of the Internet

Many years ago, just after I overcame my addiction, I spent a lot of my time on the internet. I used the internet as a deviation to my substance abuse (we will talk about addiction substitution another day) to keep me busy while I stayed away from drugs. Much of this time was spent using Internet Relay Chat (IRC) which is essentially just chat rooms with different people from around the world.

As I became more and more active in the IRC world, I stumbled across a room that peaked my interest. It was a science and philosophy chat room. I spent almost six months learning about philosophy and science from various minds around the world. Some were just regular folks and others were educated professionals...one was even a professor (I did verify him). So I was exposed to a lot of different ideas. It actually lead me to study Philosophy at Memorial University of Newfoundland (great school). 

During one of the regular discussions in this particular chat room, someone sent a message across with a quote that has stuck with me since. I am unsure if it was something they themselves coined or if it was something they had quoted from someone. First I will share the quote and then I will discuss it with you. In the end, it would be interesting to hear from you about what you think. Here is the quote as it was given to me:

"In a way the net has no homeland, and the relations are pure consciousness such that we need not have the emotional entanglements of gender, nationality, race, religion, age, etc."

Read it again. Now sit and think about it. What an amazing revelation this was and still is to me. Let us take a moment to talk about this quote. Let's start with the business of the internet having no homeland. Surely the people on the internet are from somewhere; right? Of course but this is not what the intention of the word is here. What it means is that once we are online with the rest of cyberspace, our nationality becomes irrelevant. The fact that I am from Canada is of no consequence in the digital world. It offers no advantage to be from one country or another (except in terms of bandwidth and censorship). 

The next part of the quote is truly enlightening. The 'relations are pure consciousness' is an amazing revelation. When you go online, you leave the physical world behind. Your physical body serves no use in the online world. Your only tool is your brain; your mind; your consciousness. Have you ever imagined what it might be like to be telepathic? To talk to others with just thought? Well, look at the internet because it is virtually only one step down from that. Your physical self serves almost no purpose when communicating online; only your consciousness.

And finally, the last segment of the quote to examine; the lack of need of emotional entanglements. Let's be honest with each other here today. Many of our disputes, debates, fights, arguments or whatever word you wish to insert stem from one of the above mentioned ideologies: race, religion, nationality, etc, etc, etc. These labels we place upon one another from the many different aspects and areas of society we embody do nothing but separate us from one another. They create social groups and labels and then break us down into them; sometimes breaking us down into sub-groups of groups and then sub-groups of sub-groups. There is no real end to the division. It is only limited, like your own dreams and ideas, by your imagination.

So how does the internet solve this issue? Well, unless you bring those things to the table, they do not exist. Anyone can have any conversation about anything with anyone on the internet and so long as one remains neutral, the conversation remains neutral and people behave as themselves. Many times, an honest question about one of these things can be and will be misinterpreted as malicious even though it is the furthest thing from. We are a reactionary people. With the internet, that reaction is more tempered and controlled. A conversation does not escalate to violence (for the most part). 

What I am trying to say I guess is that when you enter the digital world, you are anonymous. You are a blank page. The internet knows about as much about you as you do it (the internet being your fellow cyber-surfers). You could be a man or a woman. You could be black or white. You could be Japanese or Brazilian. You could be rich or poor. You could be healthy or sick. The internet provides you with the capability to be yourself; your true self (and let us hope that is a good self). It breaks down the barriers of social identification and creates an equal playing field for us all. That's the beauty of it right there.

On the internet we are all equals (in the general sense of the term). Your opinion is as valid and acceptable as the next regardless of any social status you have been pinned with. Your creativity and imagination are encouraged and critiqued. The only bias the internet can possibly have is the bias you carry with you. The internet, in a way, is the world that all these activists are actually fighting for. Peace activists (or those damned hippies depending on how you see them) have always fought and stood for equality, equity, love, peace and harmony. Does not the internet provide this? We are all equal without faces and we share equitably with one another and not just some. Is the internet without hate? Absolutely not but it does allow for the undying love of humanity to have a greater voice and quell the hate.

Nobody on the internet has any more power than any other is able to achieve. There is no President of the Internet, no Prime Minister, no Emperor and no Supreme Ruler. We are all equals; we are all the same; we are anonymous. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the internet has created something for us that we ourselves have not been able to manifest in our own tangible, reality: a society that is engaged in itself, that is self-sustaining, that is accountable, that has equality, that has equity, that has love but most importantly, a society that takes care of everybody without discrimination.